Suction cleaner



Oct. 19, 1937. MT 5. HURLEY 2,096,517

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f Oct. 1937' .M. s. HURLEY 2,096 517 v SUCTION CLEANER I I v 3 26' 23 27 /O 9 5 /O 25 27 Z Z6" Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED FATE NT:-

I a X- Melvin Sivr 2 32 333 Application "3, 1935, snaino. 52,723

In Great December #1934 6 Claims. (01. 15-13) This invention relates to improvements in' sucr-l tion cleaners.

In the usual suction cleaner the suction is. created bya motor-driven fan in a portable cas I ing and connected to the casing is a flexible hose having atits outer end an open-mouthed nozzle which is moved over the carpet or other surfaceto becleaned so thatthedust is extracted by the suction and collected in a bag in the casing. Such W a suction nozzle will pickup surface dirt and dust from a carpet or the like, but does not extract dust embedded in the pile of the carpet, and for this reason various forms of beating mechanism have been fitted to cleaners to beat 15 the surface" being cleaned and disturb or loosen the dirt and dust which is then picked up by the suction. The beating mechanism is commonly mounted within the nozzle and driven from wheels travelling on the carpet or the like.

n The object of my invention isto provide an improved form of suction nozzle for cleaners whereby a much higher degree of efilciency is obtained than is possible with an ordinary suc-@ tion nozzle, and-whereby dirt and dustembedded II in a. carpet or like surface can beextracted without any risk of damaging or wearing the surface.

According to my invention a suction nnzzle'is divided by one, two or more partitions into openmouthe'd compartments which are alternately put I into communicationwith and cut oil from the suction pipe leading to the cleaner by means of a rotary or reciprocating valve or valves, and the alternation of the suction in the compartments may if desired be employed to operate oneor 8| more vertically movable beater members which beat thesuriace to be cleaned. 1 I

The alternation of the suction in the different compartments with its consequentalternation of normal and reduced pressure on each part of 40 the surface being cleaned disturbs and'loosens the dirt and dust so that the surface is effectively cleaned.

One practical form of suction cleaner nozzle embodying my invention is illustrated by way of 8 example in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the nozzle. Figure 2 is a plan of the nozzle.

Figure 3, is an end elevation. j 50 Figure 4 is an invertedplan."

Figure 5v is a longitudinal vertical section .of the nozzle showing the moving parts in a neutral position. a

Figure 6 is a similar section showing theparts 55 inone extreme position.

in the other extreme positiom j Flgure '7 is a similar section showing the parts castinghaving in its bottom face a longitudinal rectangularopening divided intotwo parts and 4 vby a tr'ansverse partition 5.. Asmaller opening in the upper face of the body is normally closedby a flanged cover 5 which is hinged to the body at one end e secured atth e other end l bya clip. Thecover oarriesthe valve and the oscillating operating member as described below so that these parts'can be readily inspected and cleaned by opening the cover 0; An opening Tin the rear wall of the body leads into aswivel or other convenient connection O forQreceiving the suctlonhose of a vacuum cleaner. 1

e. cpening l penswithin the body into a prism-shaped suction chamber formedby a flat v bottom closure 9 and two oppositelyinclined sides In in which are Openings 'II and]! of substantial dimensions. The parts 9 and I0 andthe partition Ijare conveniently cast integral with The valve consists of a pair of opposed leaves or-blades 13, ll inclined to each other at an. obtuse angle greater than the angle between the sides I ll of the suction chamber, and the valve is pivoted about a transverse pin li on the cover 6 directly above the apex 'o'fjthe'suction chamber so that when the opening ii in one vside of the chamber is closed by the blade I 3 of the valve thefother blade I4 is spaced fromj the opening in the otherside of the chamber and vice' versa.

adjacent to thepivot and-are" adapted to engage the upperlsuri'aces of the valve blades I3, I 4 as the oscillating'member rocks. The width ofithe oscillating 'm'emberis such that it just clears the back and'front of the' -body-an'd the arms l6, l1 are of such a length that their ends 'justclear' curved surfaces I! 'at the ends of 'theupper part of the body, these surfaces forming'alcs about the pivot pin I! as a-centre, 'so that the arms make asubstantiallyair-tight seal with the walls of the compartments in which theymove;

" The central part ofthe upper faceofthe oscillating' member is spaced a short .distance from the underside'of the'cover 6 so that air can pass through this space as the member oscillates.

,When one arm of the member is drawn downwardly by the suction, the other arm simultaneously moves upwardly so that the combined volume of the two prism-shaped spaces between the" arms i5, i6 and the cover remains substantially reduction of pressure'above either arm as it is drawn downwardly.

Secured to or integral withthe ends of the a arms l6, I! are strikers 20 for engagement with of the suctionchamber lead into the two open into channel section and the beater is guided on the heaters, and these strikers may be weighted to increase the force of the blows.

oscillating member and valve blades adjacent to their pivot to exclude dust from the pivot, and the verve blades may if desired be covered with fabric, rubber or similar material.

Openings 22 of substantial area between the lower, edges of the surfaces l9 and the sides l ings 3,4 in the bottom face of the body.

Slidably mounted for vertical movement in the openings 3; l are longitudinally extending beater members 23, 24. 'Each of these beaters maybe of wood or other suitable material but in the'form' illustrated it is made from sheet metal pressed pins 25 'working in vertical slots in the sides of the beater. The beaters are considerably narrower than the openings 3, so as to leave an unobf structed partof the opening behind each beater,

and the outerend of each beater is conveniently located between the front wall of the opening and a longitudinal partition wall 26. A cork or other resilient pad 21 secured in each. beater receives the blow from the end of the oscillating member and helps to reduce noise. The length of the guiding slots in the beaters is such that normally the lower surfaces of the beaters lie Just below the plane of the bottom surface of the nozzle and the beaters are pressed upwardly when the nozzle is placed on a carpet or other surface to be cleaned. j V The operation of the mechanism is as follows:--- 'T Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 5 and suction to be applied to the nozzle one of the valve blades, saythe blade l3, will be sucked down to close the opening Ii, in the suction chamber. The suctionthen acts through the opening i2 on the arm W of the oscillating member which is drawn down into the position shown in Figure '7.

As the arm l6 moves downwardly the spring 18 engages the blade I4 and rocks over the valve to cause the blade M to close the opening l2, and as the arm it reaches the end of its travel the striker 20 engages the pad 21 of the beater 24 which is then given a sharp blow and transmits, that blow to any surface on whichthe nozzle is resting. Immediately the valve is rocked over and closes the opening l2 suction is cut ofi fromthe arm |6,'but simultaneously the opening i I is uncovered by the blade I! and suction isapplied to the arm H which isnow drawn downintothe' position shown in Figure 6. 'The spring 18 carried by the arm I! thus rocks over the valve again to cause the blade l3 to close the opening I I, and

a the striker 20 on the arm I] strikes the beater 23.

The movement of the valve at the same time causes the'suction to be,applied alternately to the openings 3 and I so that any surface over which the nozzle is moved is subjected both to the beating action of the beaters 23, 24 and to a rapid alternation of suction and the nozzle gives is being cleaned each individual section of thecarpet will be lifted by the suction and then beat en down again by the beater.

As the movement of the beaters is a purely vertical one the beaters apply a blow to a carpet or the like similar to that applied by a switch or cane so that anydust or dirt is effectively loos- Small strips of fabric 2! may be secured to the ened but there is no appreciable wear of the carpet. b

The springs I 8 ensure a very rapid action of the valve and "the speed of reciprocation can be for picking up threads and toassist in stirring up and loosening dirt in'the surface to be cleaned.

One convenient type of brush is shownin'Fig- -ures 1 to '4.- Downwardly directedbristles 28fare carried by a plate 29 which is' vertically movable on guide pins 3!! on the outer surface of the frontface of the nozzle and is normally urged upwardly byfsp'ringsil to hold the bristles-clear of the surface to. be cleaned. To bring the brush into use a cam member 32 pivoted on the nozzle is rotated into the position shown in Figure'l, and the cam bearing on a shoulder onthe plate 29 presses the brush downwardly to bring the'bristles into contact with the surface to'be cleaned.

I claim:-.

. 1. A nozzle for a"'suction cleaner comprising a hollow nozzle body, an opening in the body for connection to asuetion pipe, a mouth opening in the body. a plurality of separated compartments in'the body leading into the mouth opening, said mouth opening having ports each communicating with a respective compartment, an oscillating valve mounted in' the body and operated bythe suction to cause the suction to be applied alternately to each compartment, a movable beater member loosely mounted in the mouth opening, and means associated with 'the valve for operatingthe beater member.

2. A nozzle for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow nozzle body, said body having an opening. I

with the valve for operating the beater members.

3. A nozzle for a suction cleaner comprising a nozzle body, said body having a suction outlet, said body further having an elongated suction mouth in the bottom of the nozzle divided into separate openings, two compartments in the body each communicating with one of the mouth openings, oppositely inclined partitions arranged in the body between the suction outlet and said compartments, said partitions having apertures establishing communication between the suction outlet and the compartments, an oscillating valve,

plvotallv supported to rock on an 'a'xisin the body I- readily "varied by altering the strength of the n above the partitions, said valve consisting of two to connect the compartments alternately to the suction outlet, an oscillating member pivotally supported in said body, said member consisting of two opposed arms working in substantially airtight relationship with the walls of the compartments and inclined to each other at an angle greater than that between the blades of the valves, whereby the application of suction to either compartment causes the suction to act on one arm of the oscillating member which is thus rocked over and engages and rocks over the valve to cause the suction to be applied to the other compartment.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, an elongated casing having a downwardly facing opening at each end, said openings being separated by a central transverse partition, a pair of beater elements each mounted in a respective opening of said casing, said casing having a vacuum chamber disposed centrally thereof and having port communication at each side with a respective opening, and means in said casing extending over said chamber and operable to alternately close and open said port communications and including means to cause alternate actuation of said beater elements.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, an elongated casing having a downwardly facing opening at each end,

said openings being separated by a central transverse partition, a pair of beater elements each mounted in-a respective opening of said casing, said casing having a vacuum chamber disposed centrally thereof and having port communication at each side with a respective opening, and means in said casing extending over said chamber and operable to alternately close and open said I port communications and thereby to cause alternate actuation of said beater elements, said means including actuating arms disposed to strike and depress said beaters.

6. A nozzle for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow nozzle body adapted to be connected to a suction pipe, a partition dividing the nozzle into a plurality of open-mouthed compartments, a beater member movably mounted in the mouth of valve connecting the compartments alternately in rapid succession with the suction pipe, and means operated by the alternation of the suceach compartment, an automatically operated tion in the compartments for actuating said beater members.

MELVIN SIVYER HURLEY. 

